[Verse 1: Dennis Edwards]
The childhood part of my life
It wasn't very pretty
You see, I was born and raised
In the slums of the city
It was a one room shack that slept
Ten other children beside me
We hardly had enough food
Or room to sleep
It was hard times
Needed something to ease
My troubled mind

[Verse 2: Paul Williams]
Mmm, listen
My father didn't know
The meaning of work
He disrespected Mama
And treated us like dirt
I left home seeking a job
That I never did find
Depressed and downhearted
I took to Cloud Nine

[Chorus: Paul Williams]
I'm doing fine
Up here, on Cloud Nine
Listen, one more time
I'm doing fine
Up here, on Cloud Nine
[Verse 3: Dennis Edwards]
Folks down there tell me
They say, "Give yourself a chance, son
Don't let life pass you by
But the world of reality is a rat race
Where only the strongest survive
It's a dog-eat-dog world
And that ain't no lie (Ain't no lie)
Listen, it ain't even safe no more
To walk the streets at night"

[Chorus: Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards]
I'm doing fine on Cloud Nine
Let me tell you about Cloud Nine

[Bridge]
(Cloud Nine)
You can be what you wanna be
(Cloud Nine)
You ain't got no responsibility
(Cloud Nine)
And every man, every man is free
(Cloud Nine)
And you're a million miles from reality
(Reality) I wanna sail upper, higher
Upper, up, up, and away
Cloud Nine
[Break: Eddie Kendricks]
I wanna say I love the life I live
And I'm gonna live the life I love
Up here on Cloud Nine
I-I-I-I-I, I'm riding high

[Bridge]
(On Cloud Nine)
You're as free as a bird in flight
(Cloud Nine)
There's no difference between day and night
(Cloud Nine)
It's a world of love and harmony
(Cloud Nine)
You're a million miles from reality
(Reality) I wanna sail upper, higher
Upper, up, up, and away

[Outro]
(Cloud Nine)
You can be what you wanna be
(Cloud Nine)
You ain't got no responsibility
(Cloud Nine)
Every man in his mind is free
(Cloud Nine)
You're a million miles from reality
(Cloud Nine)
You can be what you wanna be